Massie says Hegseth likely to leave post before year ends
The Kentucky Republican introduced impeachment articles on the House floor while President Trump called the defense secretary a popular military official.
By Ayanda Boateng ·
Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) stated on Monday that there is a high probability Pete Hegseth will not serve as defense secretary through December 31, 2026. The Kentucky Republican is leading an effort to impeach the cabinet member.
In an interview with CNN’s Kaitlan Collins on The Source, Massie expressed his view that Hegseth’s tenure would end before the new year. He cited specific military actions as reasons for his confidence, calling Hegseth effective at killing 200 school children and bombing fishing boats that may or may not have had people who were guilty of smuggling drugs. Massie also described the administration’s actions in Venezuela as an unconstitutional kidnapping, noting that the president brags about capturing oil and that American corporations are getting rich from it.
The timeline of the conflict escalated on Monday when Massie introduced articles of impeachment targeting Hegseth. He read the documents aloud on the House floor at approximately 2 p.m. EST. Earlier that day, Hegseth told reporters he was not worried about the effort. He announced a press conference for the following morning to address the situation.
Massie interpreted Hegseth’s scheduled press conference as a sign of fear. They’re worried. I mean, it’s that simple, Massie told Collins. He contrasted the secretary’s calm demeanor with the intensity of the impeachment push.
President Trump entered the debate on Monday night with a post to Truth Social defending his cabinet member. The president labeled Massie a total loser and described Hegseth as perhaps the most popular and successful military official in the Country. Trump referred to Hegseth as Secretary of War and highlighted that recruitment is at an all-time high, up from an all-time low under former President Joe Biden. He cited two victories, Venezuela and Iran, as reasons to praise Hegseth rather than impeach him. Congress, stand up for Pete!!!, the president wrote.
The Pentagon has not yet responded to requests for comment regarding the impeachment effort and the secretary’s potential departure.
